Did You Know That….. ?

a) Banana palms are not trees. There is no wood in a banana palm.

b) The stem is made up of gigantic leaves so the banana palm is classified as an herb.

c) Three years ago, I read that the banana palm are classified as a grass, but I am unable to validate that information.

d) Banana palms only produce fruit once. The palms die away and new shoots spring up. Those shoots can be replanted in other places.

e) Banana palms grow quickly in the tropics. The first photo below was taken on the day the shoot was replanted. The second photo was of a shoot that had been replanted three days prior, and the third photo was of a shoot five days after replanting.

f) Banana circles are a permaculture technique that is most often used in tropical and subtropical regions. They help create humus and water retention where soils are either sandy or heavy clay. This photo shows a banana palm circle with a compost pile in the middle.

g) Banana palms produce very unusual flower buds. One day, I saw a squirrel like this trying to get into one of the buds but I couldn’t take a photo quick enough to catch it in action. I haven’t seen an open flower yet this year but here is a photo I found on Wikimedia.

h) The banana palm leaf has an intricate series of veins running through it.

i) The path to Amritapuri’s Saraswati Garden is lined with banana palms. I can imagine what that path will look like next year!

j) I think banana palms are so beautiful.

For more information or to see beautiful photos go to: A Banana Plant Is an Herb (Or, Little Known Banana Facts)

Weekly Photo Challenge: Path

Is My Path Taking a Turn?

My favorite joke, and the only one I ever remember, is: Q: Do you know how to make God laugh? A: Tell him your plans for your life.

I think that is so true. There have been many turns in my life that I would have never predicted. If someone had told me those changes were coming, I would have said they were crazy. The most notable example is my relationship with Amma

At the time I met her, I had described myself as being somewhere between an agnostic and an atheist for 20 years. In those days, even hearing the word God made me feel sick to my stomach. I was a very logical, head based person and had no interest in spirituality or spiritually minded people.

In 1989, a new friend told me there was a woman saint coming to Seattle soon and invited me to attend her programs. My mind said NO but what came out of my mouth was OK.

My whole life changed the night I met Amma. Six weeks later, I was at her New Hampshire retreat and six months later I was in India. I have gone to India 26 times since that first visit. I have had other life plans change in unexpected ways since then, but none were as remarkable as that one.

On May 31 of 2017, I “plan” to retire. That is the time of year that Amma begins her annual North American tour so I have “planned” to attend some of those programs and then go to Amritapuri from mid-August until mid-January. I don’t remember when I developed this “plan”, but I think it has been firmly ingrained in my mind since I was in India this time last year.

One day in August of this year, though, I woke up thinking that I wasn’t going to watch another tree in the lot behind my house die. Al, my former husband, and I had bought that property in 1973. I sold it in the mid-80’s and it changed hands again about ten years later. When Seattle formed the Cheasty Greenbelt, that owner sold it to the city.

The property was originally beautiful but none of the subsequent owners did anything with it, so blackberries, ivy, morning glories and bamboo took over. Smothered by the invasive plants, many trees died.

After I had that early morning thought, I grabbed my shears and started to work. I enlisted my friend, Ramana, to help clear some of the land. While Ramana worked on the major clearing, I focused on freeing specific trees.

I found so many beautiful and fascinating things on the land and know that there are many more buried under the remaining blackberries.

One day, it occurred to me that we could make this project a GreenFriends project. (GreenFriends is the environmental arm of Embracing the World, Amma’s network of humanitarian projects.) I called the people in our satsang who have coordinated our tree planting and habitat restoration work in the past. They were very interested in being involved. In October and November, they spent some time working on the lot with me.

We also talked with the Green Seattle Partnership about becoming one of their volunteer groups. In March, we will take the Green Seattle Partnership Forest Steward orientation. Once we do that, we will be able to host larger work parties.

Our project will be supervised by the Seattle Parks Department and the city will provide the saplings and other greenery that we will eventually plant there. The Park Department will do any work that requires power tools. If there is enough interest in the project, we may decide to clear all four lots that are in that strip of Greenbelt!

I feel a great deal of passion about this work and it has been on my mind since I’ve been in Amritapuri. Even before I left Seattle, it occurred to me that August and September would be prime time for working on that land and if I was in Amritapuri, I wouldn’t be available to organize the work.

I have an ever growing sense that I won’t be going to Amritapuri in August and that my path is taking a turn that gives working with nature more priority than spending extra time in India.

Starting last week, I found another thought creeping into my mind. I have kept close track of world events via CNN throughout this trip. I’m beginning to wonder if I will even make it to India next year. It seems like there is so much potential for war.

amma-and-me

My years with Amma have taught me a lot about staying in the moment and not holding on to plans. They have also taught me that Amma will hold me close to her no matter what comes my way. I trust that my life will unfold as it is supposed to and acknowledge that I have no idea what that will look like. What I do expect is that I will be participating in at least part of the Lokah Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu chant for world peace that will be held in the Amritapuri temple from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on January 1.

Lokah Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu
May all beings in the world be happy.
Peace, Peace, Peace

Weekly Photo Challenge: Path

To see all of the posts in this Amritapuri series, click here.

Wordless Wednesday

More Tropical Foliage

One day, in my second week at Amritapuri, I visited Amma’s College of Engineering. It is located in Vallikavu, the town across the backwaters. As I left, I took some photos of the college’s beautiful grounds.

On the way back to ashram, I decided to go through the College of Biotechnology grounds. I saw some interesting plants there too.

To see all of the posts in this Amritapuri series, click here.

My Morning Adventure

It has only been three days since I visited Kuzhitura Farm but it feels like it has been much longer than that. I decided I’d better write about the trip while it is still fresh in my mind.

I left the ashram soon after breakfast on Tuesday morning. I’ve been to the farm before but wasn’t sure where to turn off the main road, so I decided to take a rickshaw there and walk back to the ashram after my visit.

The Amritapuri farms and gardens have been through so much in the years of their existence. The close proximity to salt water, lack of fresh water, poor soil, and disease have all caused problems. When I visited this farm last year though, it was obvious that a major change had taken place. I remember feeling as if I had entered paradise.

One of the first things I noticed this year was the extensive network of paths. Any path I followed led me to beauty. I found an altar on one path.

After years of trial and error, and the gardeners persistent effort, the tulasi plants are now thriving. Tulasi is also known as holy basil. It is a component of many Ayurvedic medicines.

I saw one garden bed that looked like it had been recently planted.

One of my goals for the trip was to go by myself and sit quietly. I wanted to take photos of birds, butterflies and bugs.

I saw beautiful birds, butterflies and the biggest bumblebee I’ve ever seen, but they all moved so fast I couldn’t catch them with the camera. One insect seemed like it was playing with me. Every time I got close to snapping the picture it flew a few inches away.

I only took one photo of a bird and, even if it was in focus, you wouldn’t be able to see its beautiful colors.

I did take a picture of one bug!

Part of the problem was that I didn’t have the patience to sit. And I was so hot. The kind of experience I had originally envisioned will have to wait for the future. This time, I was content to immerse myself in the flowers and other sights. (See Flowers at Kuzhitura Farm.)

Adjacent to the farm are the ashram’s food composting and vermi-composting facilities. West of those buildings were other gardens. Amma is committed to serving as many organic vegetables at the ashram as possible. I had no doubt that some of those vegetables come from this garden.

After taking the photos above, I started my walk back to the ashram. I noticed numerous houses that Amma had built for the villagers after the 2004 tsunami. Seeing them brought back memories of my own experience during that disaster. The tsunami occurred on December 26, so it is always on my mind at this time of year.

I also saw a cow scratching its head on a tree, some pretty flowers and friendly people.

Before long, I was back at the ashram, feeling happy about my morning adventure.

To see all of the posts in this Amritapuri series, click here.

So Much Beauty

This morning I took a brief trip to Vallikavu, the small town across the backwaters from the ashram. Prior to December 2006, when we wanted to go to town, we had to take a canoe.

After the 2004 tsunami hit the peninsula where the ashram is located, Amma decided to build a footbridge so that the peninsula could be evacuated swiftly should another emergency occur.

ashram-01

Today I stood at the top of that bridge

and looked to the north

and to the south.

Beauty as far as I could see.

After I finished what I needed to do in town, I started walking back to the bridge. Just before I reached it, I was invited to join some people who were taking the canoe. I wanted to buy something at the fruit stand by the bridge so decided not to do that.

Once I bought my fruit, I started climbing the stairs that would take me back to the ashram.

Someday soon, I think I will take that canoe. Even though it has been ten years since I’ve done that, I remember what it was like to be so close to the water and the beautiful sights.

To see all of the posts in this Amritapuri series, click here.

Wordless Wednesday

A Fascinating Plant

I have been anticipating going to Kuzhitura Farms since I came to Amritapuri on November 26th. I decided today was the day for that adventure.

I was so excited to see the wonders of nature I found there. I was particularly fascinated by this plant.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Anticipation

Daily Prompt: Fortune
To see all of the posts in this Amritapuri series, click here.

Flowers at Kuzhitura Farm

I spent part of this morning at Kuzhitura Farm, a site that is a 20 minute walk south of the main part of Amma’s Amritapuri ashram. I will be writing at least two posts about that visit. I’m eager to show you the flowers I saw, so I’m going to start with that one! You can click on the gallery to enlarge the photos.

To see all of the posts in this Amritapuri series, click here.

Living and Learning in Amritapuri, India: December 12-18, 2016

Amme Yi Jivende

Last week, I wrote about hearing one of Amma’s swamis singing a song titled Amme Yi Jivende. I shared about a time in the early 90’s when I heard a different swami sing the same song. At that time, I was sleeping on a devotee’s roof during a program in Trivandrum. The house was near the Trivandrum ashram and the music filled the late night air. I felt as if the Swami was singing a lullaby to the infant part of me.

The day after I heard it sung this year, I walked by the auditorium when a group of brahmacharinis (female monks) were singing the very same song. I haven’t heard that song for many years so to have it sung in my presence twice in two days was quite a surprise. The tune has run through my mind numerous times since then.

Indian religions recognize both God and the Goddess. The words of Amme Yi Jivende are directed to the Goddess. As I mentioned above, the tune is very much like a lullaby and the sound still sooths the infant part of me… and there are times older parts of me relate to the lyrics.

O Mother of the Universe, there is no one other than you who can wipe the tears off this face, who can liberate this soul. Coming to your feet, this soul realizes itself.

Alas! This mind is even now wallowing in sorrow having lost its way in Maya before finding its Goal. Please bless me that I shall forever hold you in a tight embrace with pure devotion.

In this fearsome ocean of birth and death, the only refuge is your lotus feet. Won’t you come and sprinkle a little of the nectar of love on this smouldering self?

This little infant spends every single moment meditating on your form. Please do not keep me waiting any more– draw me close to you and bestow inner tranquility to this tortured soul.

I wish I could share a soundtrack with you but I don’t have a way to do that. If you belong to Spotify you will be able to find it there.

Kapok Tree

In an December 4th post, I shared pictures of two Kapok tree trunks. One I found on the internet; the other tree is in Amritapuri. At the time I wrote the original post, I couldn’t see anything that these trunks had in common.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Photo Credit: Wikimedia

This week, I happened to look at the other side of the Amritapuri tree and this is what I saw:

Even though the two tree trunks are vastly different in size, I can see that their trunks have some commonality.

Rupee update

Money is still a big problem here. The banks won’t give out much cash, if any. The ATM I go to won’t ever dispense more than 2000 rupees a day (about $30), and it is frequently empty. I went to two ATMs in town one day and they were empty too. The machines may stay empty for days.

If you luck out and are able to get some cash, it may still be difficult to use it because the merchants are often unable to make change. This problem has been going on since November 8th.

Weather

It was hot when I arrived at the ashram on November 26. Then the weather turned much cooler. There was even one day when I put on a flannel shirt for a while. Most of the time, though, it has been hot, but not too hot, during the day and cool in the early morning and during the night.

Elephant

Two days ago, I saw Lakshmi, one of the ashram elephants, for the first time this year. She was walking down the road with her mahouts when I was returning to the ashram after working in the garden.

She had probably been in the courtyard by the auditorium. The mahouts often bring her there at this time of year so that children and adults can feed her bunches of bananas. I fed Lakshmi for the first time two years ago.

The following photos of Lakshmi and Amma were taken in 2011.

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Drawing

This morning, a woman was sketching at the table where I had breakfast. I told her that I thought her drawing was beautiful. When she finished it, she gave it to me!